Either way there will be many issues in common: firstly that orthodox treatments whether antibiotics or antifungals, prescribed drugs or over-the counter products often have limited effects. And, even more often, you find that when symptoms return they are often more aggressive than when you first acquired the condition. Secondly: Whether you have a diagnosis or not, although the symptoms are extremely diverse, many people have them even though in some people they may be subtle and in others extremely severe.

But if you have come this far then at least we can start the journey to establishing whether Candida is the cause of your diminishing health and quality of life – and then begin to put things right!

As a naturopathic doctor who specializes in Candida and the illnesses arising from it, I find that most of the patients I have contact with come into several categories but there are three which dominate:

This patient has been suffering for quite some time but has yet to achieve a clinical diagnosis. These patients have returned to their clinician time and time again. They may even have attended several physicians but all the standard ‘base line’ tests have shown nothing distinctive. Yet these patients have questioned orthodox medicine and figured out that a yeast infection is probably behind their symptoms. However they haven’t quite got to grips with how to treat it effectively and may have little understanding of what a good diet really means or how to effectively amend their lifestyle. Usually these patients have, half-heartedly, tried natural treatments such as extra garlic or taking coconut oil. They may even have read one or two books on resolving Candidiasis, but still they haven’t got the spectacular results they were hoping for.

3. Patients with Long Standing or Chronic Candida

By long-standing I mean here patients who have been living with the symptoms of Candida for ten years or more. These people will have tried most remedies, been to alternative practitioners, read articles and books, spent a king’s ransom in the process, and still their quality of life is reduced to rubble as they try to cope with the symptoms and effects every single day. I’ve been dealing with patients such as this for many years and it gives me such a thrill to be able to resolve their issues and return not only their health but also their lives back to them as they begin to learn to live a life which does not revolve around illness.

When it comes to those with long-standing chronic Candida many people would think I was, at best, stretching the truth a little. Being, if you like, a little ecclesiastical about how the truth changes the lives of so many patients. But over the last 25 years I have heard from so many people who have struggled to cope with life and work on a daily basis, who have basically lived in a fog of illness which doesn’t quite physically incapacitate them, but does stop them enjoying their existence. Most sufferers are subdued not only because of their illness but also because they feel a solution is never going to be found. They suffer from chemical depression arising from the illness, they are on restricted diets because they have become increasingly sensitive to more and more foods. They are anxious, they have indigestion when they eat even the smallest of meals, they may swing from diarrhea to constipation and back again. They are constantly fatigued and the good days are few and far between. These are people who have forgotten what it is like to really enjoy and experience the good times.

And, the scary thing is that this doesn’t only affect adults. I also see many children and, in many cases, can even trace the symptoms of my adult patients back into childhood if not back to birth. Mothers who suffered Candida, unknowingly, passed it on to their children and these kids suffered compromised health practically from the very beginning. Unfortunately, as many mothers know only too well, most children today will also have been prescribed antibiotics to treat those childhood illnesses – the very antibiotics that are now implicated as one cause of Candida.

The people who have chronic illness resulting from Candida have what is known as ‘systemic’ illness – this is where there are few aspects of bodily functions which are not affected by the invasion of Candida or the problems arising from it.

All You Need to Know About Yeast Infections

Many years ago I began to notice common problems arising in many patients. Problems which were very similar to those I had experienced when I suffered from my own infection. This led to my researching the condition allowing me not only to resolve my own problems (Physician Heal Thyself) but also to help the many thousands of others who would never have made the connection between their symptoms and an internal gut dysfunction which can spread throughout the body.

Quick Solutions

After the advent of antibiotics in particular, we became accustomed, as patients, to achieving ‘quick cures,’ but the honest truth is that there is no quick cure for Candida. This is particularly relevant to those who suffer from chronic issues and no matter how many times you are promised that your problems will be resolved in days, weeks or even a couple of months, this simply isn’t achievable. If you have been hearing that Candida can be resolved by antibiotics in seven days or by alternative treatments in 60, I’m here to say that this simply isn’t possible. The shortest recovery usually takes 3-4 months and chronic conditions can take around 9 – sometimes longer.

Treating Candida effectively means, that if you are not in for the long-haul then at least be prepared to be in it for the mid-haul. Don’t think that even within the medical community and more so on the internet, that knowledge about what Candida is and is also capable of, is fully understood. There is much inaccurate information out there and as a result many people attempt treatment programs with unrealistic expectations.

Although most people would like to believe that Candida can be treated by simply reading a small e-book and taking antifungals or eliminating a few foods from the diet, it really isn’t that easy. Even when people post positive reviews about such treatments and products how are we to know if they really work since many symptoms can return again within a few weeks or months. After all antibiotics were thought to work initially – and they do – and then the infection comes back again!

We are all aware of how effective marketing can be and, when it’s tied in with clever and extensive promotion then most products can be made to look as if they will rid you of Candida and return you to spectacular fitness in little more than the blink of an eye. Others may seem more reasonable, but even then, when people are advised about not only supplements but a few dietary changes, little benefits are found. I have to admit that early on in my career I thought these little nuggets of information were going to resolve issues – but I learned very quickly that it was simply not possible. Although this was decades ago, and I learned the hard way, I want sufferers to realize that I have ‘walked their walk.’ I made mistakes, so I researched the subject and I learned.

For me, the advent of the internet has been a wonderful thing because it has allowed me to reach so many more patients outside of those who attend my clinic. It has allowed me to pass on what I have learned through my research, and share with you the most comprehensive self-help guide available on how to rid sufferers of their yeast infection. My Candida Crusher book is no brief e-book overview of Candida. It is a tome of 718 pages and provides readers with answers to questions which are not available elsewhere. This book will teach you about how Candida occurs, what effects it has and how to diagnose, treat and keep it under control. In other words, you will learn how to rid yourself of Candida – for ever!

My objective is to teach sufferers as much about Candida as I know myself. It is to prevent you wasting time, money and indeed, hope, on supplements and products which will, quite likely, do nothing to reverse your condition. By the same token I also want to provide you with details of products which are effective and to teach you how to make the best use of them.

What you have to remember though is that there is no ‘quick fix’ when it comes to eradicating a chronic infection. In today’s society of immediate gratification and promises of instantaneous remedies, we find it hard to comprehend that some conditions do take months to resolve. This you need to understand, because stopping my Candida Crusher strategy too early will not give you the desired results. You have to stay with it and remember that your problem has taken years to become chronic and realistic expectations are needed when it comes to resolving it.

So, if you have only just learned of your yeast infection or have been fighting this relentless battle for years, please understand that the infection and effects take time to resolve and will require some effort on your part in respect of applying yourself to learning new habits. That way, like many other people, you too can optimize your health with my Candida Crusher Plan.

Quick Fix Crashes

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when treating Candida is to think there is a quick fix result. Whether this be taking a natural supplement, or a prescribed drug such as Xifaxan, there simply isn’t one way of doing it. This is because the causes and effects of Candida are extensive and different approaches are needed for each problem. For example, although some products, both natural and from orthodox medicine, are known to be effective in treating infections, we have now come to learn that many bacteria and fungi ‘hide’ in colonies called ‘biofilms.’ These biofilms have a coating which protects them not only from medications but also from the immune system. What good is a medication if it can’t actually reach its target!

Modern medicine is finally coming to understand that biofilms are often the reason as to why many infections, although they appear to be treated initially, ultimately come back. It also answers the question as to why and how some bacteria are building up such a resistance to treatments.

As the biofilms example goes to show, if you think logically about it, Candida is only a very small part of the problem. What we are talking about is the general issue of gut dysbiosis – what are the causes, what are the treatments, how are the beneficial bacteria affected, what damage does Candida cause internally? There are also other factors such as leaky gut syndrome, enzyme deficiencies and, of course, immune responses which affect, among other things, the endocrine system. Once all this is out of sync then, of course, it takes more than simply ridding yourself of an overgrowth of Candida to put it all right.

The Causes of Candida

Many doctors today are guilty of treating the symptom rather than investigating the cause. On the one hand, at least on the surface, it would seem that life has been made pretty easy for both doctor and patient. You get athlete’s foot and the doctor treats it with one, or even several antifungals from the armory he has at his disposal. But then the infection returns, again, and again, and again, and this is because the problem causing the athlete’s foot has never even been investigated. This ‘stubborn’ or ‘resistant’ infection is not really that at all, it is simply a reaction to an internal problem which could be established by something as quick and easy as a stool test – yet how many patients have this option suggested to them?

The very same patient may also be suffering from digestive problems or even depression, yet rarely is the equation made between those ‘individual conditions’ and the infection, and this is because today’s clinicians don’t look at the bigger holistic picture but as if each symptom is a condition in its own right.

Now I have lost count of the number of patients who have attended my clinic in sheer desperation after years of visiting their clinician in unsuccessful efforts to resolve their problems. And, the list of those, seemingly unrelated problems is endless. For example it can include:

Men, in particular, are people who often tend to suffer from Candida overgrowth which goes undiagnosed and untreated. Even today many people (including clinicians!) instantly think of Candida being a ‘woman’s condition.’ This is, of course, down to the fact that Candida is most prominently noted for causing vaginal thrush. Although it is a common problem simply because that area of the body provides the ideal environment for Candida, it certainly isn’t limited to that particular condition (although I would call it a symptom) and Candida isn’t so selective as to exclude men from the effects it can cause.

The Epidemic of Candida Infections

Although it may seem hard to believe at first glance it is now estimated that a staggering 70% of the population suffer from Candida. Back in the 1950s this was only 15% – so what’s caused this illness explosion?

For a start we need to understand that Candida is needed in the human body – provided it is in quantities balanced with the other microflora it coexists with. It is only when Candida starts to dominate the other inhabitants of the microflora community that problems arise. But the problems have arisen, and fast! Of course there are several more obvious factors which have contributed to this illness explosion.

1. Antibiotics – first came into common usage in the mid to late 1940s. By the 1950s many new classifications of the drug were being discovered. We understand now that most broad spectrum antibiotics kill bacteria indiscriminately, taking with them both the pathogenic and beneficial inhabitants of the microflora community. We also know that it takes longer for the community to recover than simply the short duration of drug taking, and, even then we aren’t quite sure how effective this re-population is. What is certain now is that the explosion of Candida since the 1950s owes its existence in no small part to antibiotic usage.

Even if you are the kind of person who doesn’t demand antibiotics for all ailments, there is, sadly, little chance of avoiding them. Most people are aware now that many commercially produced livestock are fed antibiotics on a regularly basis as a preventative measure against disease. This, of course, also applies to dairy cattle. So milk too can also contain its fair share of antibiotics. Where in doubt, even when you are buying organic produce, ask your supplier because what most people also fail to realize is that sometimes antibiotics are used as ‘growth promoters’ rather than against disease. It is reported than when antibiotics are used growth can be increased by up to 10%. I have written a comprehensive article on antibiotics that you can read here.

2. Sugar consumption – even if you don’t have a sweet tooth rarely can you avoid sugar in all its many forms. Processed foods are laden with sugars including lactose, a dairy sugar which many people with Candida simply cannot tolerate. Anything from tinned fruit to processed ham can contain lactose, so even if you steer clear of microwave meals in an effort to avoid sugar, it is almost impossible because practically everything has it added in. Candida, as many people reading this will be aware, loves sugar. Candida thrives on it. Yet rarely can we avoid it even when we are trying particularly hard! Make sure to read Candida & Sugar connection article which covers everything you need to know and will answer a lot of your sugar related questions.

3. Chemical and Drug ‘Dependencies’ – I use the term ‘dependencies slightly tongue in cheek although it has to be admitted that in today’s society we have become dependent on certain chemicals and drugs which were never available in the past. Although we tend to focus on antibiotics when it comes to talking about drugs and Candida, there are many others which can negatively affect our gut microflora. For example, oral contraceptives are now proving to have widespread detrimental effects. And, when it comes to other aspects of everyday life, who is without aggressive kitchen and bathroom cleaners, chemical compounds for the garden, cosmetics and body care products? Yet all of these can contain elements that put our gut microflora under increasing stress and which, ultimately, results in the balance of our digestive tract being disrupted.

The result of this cocktail of external forces is that our body chemistry becomes altered. Not only that but we end up with, particularly when it comes to immune functions, a cyclical downward spiral. As the Candida thrive and toxins are released, then the immune system literally becomes overwhelmed. It can affect anything from hormones to our autonomic nervous system and each day our bodies still have to cope with the pressures we are, often inadvertently, putting it under.

Children and Candida

Usually we think of Candida overgrowth as being an illness which adults suffer from, but this is very far from the truth. Young children and even babies can be affected and this can set them up for a life of systemic health issues. The young usually develop Candida from one of two sources: either it is passed on to them through their mother, or it is initiated by the introduction of antibiotics for illnesses such as digestive issues or the usual childhood ailments relating to ear problems or throat infections.

When children are born their immunity is provided through the mother. If the mother prefers not to breastfeed or moves baby on to a cow’s milk formula too soon, then the immune system of the baby is slower to develop. This leaves it exposed to a broader range of infections and, you guessed it, even more antibiotic treatments. Instead of the child developing a resilient and strong immune system as it grows, what happens in reality is that their immune system is challenged while it is still immature. Surely a recipe for disaster.

More recently it has come to light that many children with autism or those more commonly recognized as being on the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) scale, more likely than not suffer from dysbiosis – an imbalance of the gut microflora. These children have also been proven to have less of the beneficial microflora such as bifidobacterium which can help them sustain a healthy digestive system. Another factor relating to autism which has caused much controversy in the past, has, yet again, reared its head. Vaccinations, specific ones, are being linked to autism as a causative factor. Such vaccines are ones which used contaminated fetal retroviruses and include not only MMR inoculations but also some chicken pox (Varicella) and Hepatitis A. It is now being hypothesized that these vaccinations, which are known as WI-38, are leaving some children susceptible to disruption of the digestive microflora.

Systemic Invasion

Most patients with Candida overgrowth will initially usually notice problems with digestive dysfunction. Unfortunately many of these patients will also put the symptoms of diarrhea, constipation, grumbling stomach, bloating or indigestion down to something of an everyday occurrence. Such problems are normally consigned to have a ‘sensitive’ stomach, or the type of food eaten or even getting older. Rarely are such subtle signs considered to be indicators of an impending health issue which can become systemic.

Yet even at this point damage to your intestinal wall can be taking place. Candida produces a chemical which is called acetaldehyde. This chemical is capable of damaging what are known as the tight junctions which seal our intestinal wall. Once this defense is penetrated and the gaps are made larger than they should be, then compounds can pass through this barrier and wreak havoc. Intestinal permeability, otherwise more commonly known as leaky gut syndrome (LGS) is now believed to be responsible for many of the autoimmune conditions inflicting large numbers of people. This is because once Candida or the myriad other compounds and toxins get into our bloodstream they trigger a vast number of effects.

When this happens the infection becomes ‘systemic’ which means that it can, and does, affect any part of the body. Although some would contradict what I say, Candida does travel around the body via the bloodstream. It then goes on to settle in various parts and other, more substantial, disease can arise. Unlike some other organisms Candida is what is known as anaerobic, which means it doesn’t require oxygen like aerobic ones do. This means it has plenty more places to set up home and can produce a wider range of symptoms. Obviously, in addition to digestive problems which is where the Candida overgrowth originates, patients usually have a broad range of problems which range from mild to severe. This usually depends on where the Candida has settled and how long the patient has been experiencing the issues. Take the candida quiz to find if you have mild, moderate or severe candida.

Your Body – The Host to Candida

What people usually fail to realize is that the bacteria in your body are literally using it as a host environment. Their need to survive is just as strong as yours, and, in many ways, their basic drive to survive against the odds is, because it is not influenced by social factors, more primitive and focused.

Even under normal circumstances Candida, and other bacteria and yeasts, emit toxins. Again under normal circumstances the body can deal with these pathogens and it contains them until they can be expelled. But when one yeast becomes dominant and starts to emit excess toxins throughout the body, then the detoxification systems are put into overdrive. Often, they simply cannot cope. Another factor which creates toxins is when this overgrowth dies, because this in itself produces toxins, mainly gliotoxin and mannan, which need to be disposed of. Again your immune and detoxification systems are put under overwhelming pressure.

Yet all the time this is going on, because of the way we live today, we are actually helping the Candida to survive. As I mentioned earlier, whether it be sugars or medications, household products or cosmetics, it all goes toward weakening the immune system which needs to fight Candida or toward actually feeding the Candida itself. What we are actually doing is not treating the Candida but helping it to thrive. Is it any wonder that so many people are sick with chronic conditions and it is so difficult to find an effective, permanent, treatment?

Now you can really start to see how impossible it is to resolve all these issues with one single supplement within a few days or weeks. The permutations of what Candida can do to your body are vast and it takes time, knowledge and commitment to resolve the problems – permanently!

What is also often forgotten is the fact that eradicating all Candida albicans in the body is completely undesirable. It is no more wanted than we would want to eradicate all bacteria. These are essential components of our digestive environment and, when things are running normally, are necessary to our very survival. What we are seeking to achieve is to bring the digestive microflora back into balance so they can work in harmony and perform the functions they are meant to. Drastic treatments which promise to destroy all your Candida are not only impossible but also undesirable – and they are probably a scam.

Intestinal Permeability or Leaky Gut Syndrome (LGS)

At one time, and even now when you look at the guidance given by some medical authorities, leaky gut syndrome simply wasn’t accepted. Today it has got more validity and the scientific research certainly supports that not only does leaky gut syndrome exist but that the problems which arise from it are definitely of the real variety. Earlier I mentioned how Candida can actually cause leaky gut by releasing a chemical which erodes the tight junctions of the intestinal wall allowing Candida to escape into the blood stream and set up home anywhere in the body. Well, not only Candida escapes. Food molecules which would normally be too large to pass through the intestinal wall can also make it through. When they do the immune system starts to attack these ‘foreign bodies’ because it fails to recognize them in their current form and this is why many people have food sensitivities. There is often nothing wrong with the food, in fact in many cases people become sensitive to their favorite foods – it’s simply because it is passing through the wall of the intestine before it has been properly degraded. If you have food sensitivities then the odds are that you also have Candida overgrowth. I’d like to bet too that you also suffer from one of the digestive dysfunctions I mentioned earlier on!

So, if you do suffer from food sensitivities then get yourself checked out for Candida. The indications are that you have a leaky gut and the destruction to your intestinal wall will become increasingly damaged and leaky – this means that not only will you become increasingly ill but that you will become increasingly sensitive to a growing number of products.

Hormone, Thyroid or Adrenal Dysfunction?

This is where you start to realize just how complicated the Candida situation can be. Remember that earlier I talked about acetaldehyde and how it is released by Candida? Well, this is a compound which is also needed by the body – in the right quantities. Under normal, healthy circumstances it is either converted into acetate which is excreted or it is utilized by the body to make cellular energy by converting it into something called acetyl coenzyme A. Nothing wrong there then.

But there are several things which can cause too much acetaldehyde to accumulate in the body. One, as we have already discussed is Candida albicans, the others include deficiencies in Vitamins B3, B6 or B12, or other specific minerals such as glutamine, molybdenum, iron or selenium. These deficiencies often occur with a Candida overgrowth simply because the microflora are not working effectively and are failing to extract the nutrients necessary for absorption. In some cases the bacterial will even consume these molecules for themselves.

So as Candida overgrows it exudes more acetaldehyde which causes a toxic build up. The Candida also consumes more sugar to sustain its survival. These two factors result in not only sugar cravings but also fatigue and immune responses. Because the Candida is eating most of the sugar you consume your blood sugar levels fall (a state known as hypoglycemia) and this problem can get worse as you sleep.

During the night, although you are completely unaware, Candida albicans goes on a sugar hunt. Because when sugar is in short supply because you are not eating it will actually steal sugar from your blood. Despite all the bad press sugar gets your body does need it to convert to energy and, if your blood levels start falling then your internal stress levels begin to rise. This triggers your adrenal glands to kick in by releasing a hormone called Cortisol. Cortisol in turn tells your liver to release the sugar it stores for emergencies which is known as glycogen. So, while you sleep your body is actually in a state of high alert. Not only are you producing more acetaldehyde which results in fatigue because your detoxification system is trying to evacuate it, but your adrenals are working at high speed and your stores of liver sugar are being depleted. Eventually the adrenals become fatigued or exhausted and they simply aren’t able to keep up with the demands the body is putting on them. I have a written a comprehensive article on cortisol and candida connection which I recommend you read.

So, where does the thyroid dysfunction come in? Well, the body needs cortisol to produce thyroid hormone, or at least to tell the pituitary gland in your brain to do it by stimulating release of TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone). Once you don’t have enough cortisol because the adrenals are fatigued, then thyroid dysfunction is the result.

The process appears, initially at least, to be quite complicated and I have created an extensive chapter about it in Candida Crusher, but now you can see how something as apparently simple as Candida overgrowth can inflict such systemic damage on the human body.

Do Women Really Get Worse Yeast Infections Than Men?

Although many people commonly believe, because of Candida vaginal infections, that yeast infections are a ‘woman’s illness,’ I noted long ago that about two thirds of patients with Candida infection were women and the remainder were men. Obviously differences in gender physiology makes women more susceptible to Candida, but the other obvious difference is when it comes to oral contraceptives.

The differences between the incidence of Candida between men and women intrigued me, so I decided to investigate the effects of the birth control pill in a lot more details. What I found was that the way the hormones, and particularly progesterone, were utilized and metabolized, could indeed lead to Candida overgrowth.

Candida actually attaches itself to the hormone estrogen, which then prevents the body from using it. Under normal circumstances estrogen and progesterone make up a total amount and, if one is lacking, the other will increase to bring the levels back up to normal. Yet Candida will sometimes attack estrogen simply to get to the progesterone.

This see-saw game with the hormones is further exaggerated by chemicals which we use every day in the form of personal hygiene, cosmetic and even plastic wrapping film, contain synthetic hormones and these are believed to be absorbed into our skin. Once the balance between the hormones is changed then the normally contained Candida can multiply free of any inference.

Of course the danger here is, that although men do not use oral contraceptives, then are increasingly using personal care items. I strongly suspect that cases of Candida overgrowth in men will continue to rise.

Fighting Candida Infections

Hopefully by now you will be moving some way to realizing that ridding your body of Candida overgrowth is no simple matter. The products which are on the market today, whether they be prescription drugs such as Diflucan, Xifaxan or Nystatin, or natural treatments such as caprylic acid, may help in ridding your body of Candida in some way but they certainly won’t resolve all the issues. This is particularly relevant in the case of some prescription drugs because it has been proven that once microflora in a biofilm are exposed to such medications then they actually communicate to reinforce their numbers. Sounds strange? But it is true. Biofilm microflora actually communicate with each other by a method known as quorum sensing. Once they have been exposed to a particular kind of drug they actually call out for help and reinforcements. They then go on to strengthen their biofilm protection as well. This is now thought to be at least one of the reasons as to why and how bacteria build up a resistance to certain drugs.

Just to add to the problem we also know that Candida are a little sneaky. They will travel around in your bloodstream and hide out in places which are limited in oxygen and which are harder to access. Then they just hide away until the coast is clear and come out to multiply and regenerate their numbers. This is another very good reason as to why your infection may appear to be resolved initially only to find it returns some time later and is more aggressive than it was originally.

What we always have to appreciate with yeasts and bacteria, is that they too are living organisms and will do what it takes to survive. Their basic drive is to ensure their continued existence and they have been doing this for millions of years. Is it any wonder that they are learning to avoid the attacks from modern medicine with such apparent ease?

Detoxification and Cellular Energy

The liver is the major organ involved in the detoxification process. It is responsible for clearing the toxins from the body and, under normal circumstances, does an excellent job provided it is well treated. But when an overgrowth occurs the liver is put under increasing pressure for a variety of reasons and, because it cannot cope with the volume of toxins it faces, those pathogens escape into the body and start to accumulate in our cells. Since we are made up of cells, from skin to blood to internal organs, then we can clearly see this is a very undesirable thing to happen.

What you end up with is a situation where there are toxins in the liver, the blood stream and the cells of the body. In itself this is, obviously, a problem, but there can also be a problem if you kill off these yeast infections too quickly. This is because when they die they release toxins – something else the body has to dispose of. If this happens, rarely, it can produce what is known at the Herxheimer Reaction. This is when the body is overloaded with toxins which cannot be cleared and the response can be pretty severe. The resultant effects usually happen within a few hours of treatment and they manifest as severe flu-like symptoms which can make the patient pretty ill. However there is a tendency at the moment to attribute any negative reaction to Herxheimer’s, which is more commonly referred to as ‘die-off,’ but in most cases it will manifest if the patient makes drastic changes overnight and takes large quantities of drugs or supplements in an effort to bombard their yeast infection and resolve matters quickly. Here again the liver takes on the brunt of the problem and, in a situation where it is overloaded anyway, it really isn’t the smart thing to do.

Remember when trying to eradicate yeast infection that many aspects of your body are involved. This includes your digestive tract, your intestinal wall, your hormones, your bowel, your detoxification organs and many other functions. Simply wiping out all Candida in an instant is not going to resolve the multiple problems it has caused and, in some cases, it could make your situation a whole lot worse.

Digestive Function Disruption

One thing that people often forget about when it comes to disruption of digestive function, is those little things called enzymes. Enzymes are essential in kick-starting the process of breaking down nutrients into their component parts so they can be transported to cells and utilized by the body for optimum function. Yet what you will find in most patients with Candida is that they are lacking in important enzymes. This is often reflected by external factors such as stools being pale in color and floating in the toilet bowl. Because enzymes are required to digest fats, when this doesn’t happen, the fats are simply transported through the digestive system as bodily waste. Floating stools are an excellent indicator that not only are you lacking in the enzyme to digest fats but also other enzymes which don’t produce such visible evidence!

Again this results in a cyclical problem. Foods are only partially degraded and those molecules can pass through the leaky gut which sets up all kinds of reactions including excessive immune responses. The remainder of the food, instead of being broken down into its component parts simply ferments before being passed out of the digestive tract. The fermentation in itself releases toxins and gasses and causes even more problems for the sufferer. For example fermentation means lactic acid is released which is another toxin the body has to rid itself of!

Now we can really start to see that returning to optimal health isn’t just a matter of riding the body of excess Candida and it certainly can’t be done in a matter of weeks, days or even hours as some supplement sellers suggest!

Tartaric Acid Wars

Tartaric acid is naturally occurring and is used extensively in the food and drink industry. It is primarily produced by plants and in particular that of the grape and so occurs in wine. In small amounts tartaric acid isn’t a problem but it is naturally produced by Candida and so, when an excess of Candida occurs so does an excess of tartaric acid.

The problem, as with all things concerning the body, is not straightforward, but what happens is that tartaric acid can limit the production of malic acid which is needed to create energy. The energy the body produces is primarily from oxygenated (Areobic) sources and this is where the malic acid comes in. But when there is not enough malic acid the body has to turn to other non-oxygenated (Anareobic) sources to provide energy. This is done by producing lactic acid which can then be converted into glucose which the body can use as energy.

Okay, so this doesn’t seem too problematic but when high levels of lactic acid occur this affects muscle groups adversely and can result in soreness and pain. Remember that this conversion of lactic acid to glucose is only meant to be a temporary measure in extreme circumstances. When you have this process going on all the time, because Candida is producing tartaric acid then the end result, at the very least, can be extreme muscular pain.

Brain Fog and Candida Overgrowth

Many people reading this will start to recognize a lot of the symptoms even if they have never been diagnosed with Candida. In fact a lot of people who have been diagnosed with other conditions will recognize the symptoms too. This is because many people are misdiagnosed with conditions when Candida overgrowth has never even been considered never mind tested for. The same goes for myriad other conditions such as depression, mental health disorders, ADHD, Asperger’s, Autism and even schizophrenia. This is because all these chemical imbalances can actually result not only in physical disorders but also psychological. Thankfully now, Brain Fog, one of the most common symptoms which results in fuzzy thinking, lack of cognition, and even poor recall, is being recognized by the scientific community as a physical symptom of gut dysbiosis. Hopefully, in the not so distant future, clinicians will start to check out people who report brain fog for Candida overgrowth before reaching for the anti-depressants.

Arabinose and Arabintol

When it comes to dietary sugars Arabinose is not usually the first which springs to mind. In fact, unsurprisingly, few people have heard of it. But it is naturally occurring in nature and found in many soft fruits including sweet apples and pears. Arabintol is the chemical produced from arabinose and, unsurprisingly, this is another chemical released by Candida.

In the body the job of arabinose is to link or join different proteins and enzymes together but when there is too much then something occurs called ‘cross linking.’ This can result in specific deficiencies including that of vitamin B6, lipoic acid and biotin and the end result has been scientifically linked to several problems including that of irreversible premature aging.

Although the situation with arabintol is complex there have been several studies produced which suggest that urinary tests should be performed to ascertain if high levels of arabintol exist because this would be a strong indication that the patient is suffering from an overgrowth of yeasts.

Candida and Cancer

One question which arises frequently is, can Candida cause cancer? Here I can reassure patients in that although Candida can result in a multitude of problems, cancer arising directly from a Candida overgrowth is NOT one of them.

It does however result in multiple biochemical dysfunctions and cause serious health issues which, as you can tell from the length of this article, do require intensive treatment and sometimes investigation. But there is NO evidence that Candida will result in cancer directly.

The Answers and Candida Crusher

Back in the early years of my clinical practice, around 25 years ago, I began treating Candida in much the same way as most other practitioners. But what I quickly came to realize was that for many people the treatment simply didn’t work. It might reduce their symptoms for a short while and they would see some positive results, but, sooner or later, the Candida came back. I admit it, I made the same mistakes made by millions of other practitioners.

But as I recognized the treatments weren’t being effective in ridding the patient of Candida and also that there were multiple symptoms in common outside of the generally accepted ones, I began researching the subject and refining my technique.

Eventually I was able to put together, Candida Crusher. Twenty five years of research and knowledge which I can pass on to you without you making the same mistakes that not only other sufferers make but also clinicians.

As I’m sure your realize after reading this lengthy article, treating Candida is no quick and easy task. But many people want to know how to do it and how to do it right – and my book provides those people with this knowledge.

The information contained in Candida Crusher is not simply theoretical science, it has been applied in practice to many patients and secured positive results changing not only their health but also has given them back their lives. Candida Crusher will provide you with all the answers you need to understand why this illness is so devastating and how you can reverse your ill-health – permanently!

Signs and Symptoms of Candida

By now you will be realizing only too clearly that there are no straightforward symptoms of Candida. The signs are diverse and can vary in severity from individual to individual. Yet there are many indicators which most people have in common and from those initial starting points it gives plenty of ideas as to where to look next!

So let’s take a look at some of the more common issues which arise and see if you are among the many thousands who are suffering from Candida and are completely unaware, I have also written a comprehensive signs and symptoms page which you can read:

Although the above list is long, unfortunately it is by no means exhaustive. There are numerous other problems with can arise and many of them ‘conflict’ with on-going diagnoses such as fibromyalgia, ME and similar conditions of unknown cause. Read more here.

Men and Yeast Infections

Although I am certain it will be mostly women reading this article, there are many man out there who are suffering too but who will never make the connection between their problems and Candida overgrowth. As I mentioned earlier one third of all cases I see are actually consultations for men and, although a primary reason they attend is usually the condition normally known as Jock Itch, what I tend to find is that they have most of the other symptoms which affect women other than those which are obviously gender specific.

Orthodox Medicine and Candida Overgrowth

Although many contemporary doctors obviously believe that Candida exists, most don’t believe it can cause systemic and serious disease despite there being a wealth of research and scientific information out there which proves it can. Conversely most doctors do understand that Candida can cause serious and systemic damage in patients who are already diagnosed with a serious illness such as cancer or AIDs, but their argument is that this happens because the immune system of these patients is already compromised which leaves them open to other infections. This is despite the fact that it is proven that Candida, and particularly the toxins it emits, can weaken any immune system, not simply the ones of patients who are already seriously ill.

Still, medicine seems to have a history of denying certain illnesses are valid, as happened with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and IBS, and sometimes it takes decades for the message to seep through that these illnesses produce symptoms and injuries which are real. Only recently has Brain Fog become to be accepted as a physical symptom with an underlying cause, yet for many years it was relegated to the classification of a ‘cognitive’ or ‘functional’ disorder.

I have worked, and successfully, with over 15,000 patients and for longer than 25 years and can tell you with authority that Candida does indeed cause systemic and chronic conditions in patients who do not already suffer from illnesses where their immune systems are compromised. It would seem though, yet again, that we will have to wait a little while longer at least, for orthodox medicine to catch up.

Diagnosing Candida

In addition to symptoms there are several tests available to establish whether a patient is suffering from Candida overgrowth. These tests range from ones you can do in the comfort of your own home to recognized laboratory analysis. Detailed information about these tests is provided in my book, Candida Crusher but here I try to outline one of the more popular home tests:

The Candida Spit Test is very useful and mentioned repeatedly on the internet. Some people claim it is fake and gives false results but even so it is still very popular. The test is very simple and involves spitting into a clear glass of clean water first thing in the morning. You have to do this before you have a drink, something to eat, smoke a cigarette or brush your teeth. A negative result would involve the sputum, and preferably that of the ‘clear’ variety, simply floating on top of the water. If it is of a cloudy consistency, or it sinks or even partially sinks with tendrils or specks floating down, then this is considered to be positive for Candida. This test though is specific for Candida, and, although it is usually pretty accurate despite cynics saying otherwise, because it is meant to identify yeast overgrowth specifically, just because the spittle is clear and floats doesn’t mean you are free of other kinds of gut dysbiosis.

As many sufferers are only too aware Candida and fungal infections can often present with symptoms which are externally visible. These conditions such as Jock Itch and Athlete’s Foot, although they appear on the surface of the body have an internal causation. What tends to happen in these cases is that clinicians only treat what they can see on the surface i.e. the actual infection. This is typical of situations where doctors are guilty of treating the symptom rather than the cause.

The main thrust of such external treatments are either topical applications, such as Fluconazole (Diflucan) which is usually prescribed for women who suffer from vaginal thrush, or alternatively other well known medications such as Itraconazole (Sporanax) and Ketoconazole (Nizoral). In most cases where fungal disease presents externally, patients find that even if treatments work initially, then they tend to recur. Many patients spend years having these conditions controlled by aggressive drugs, yet rarely do clinicians look for the underlying cause.

Some may query that I use the phrase ‘aggressive’ but to a lesser or greater degree these drugs can produce side-effects that are, at best, unpleasant to live with. Adverse reactions can include: constipation, dermatitis, headaches, nausea and vomiting. Not something most people would want to face in the short-term and many would find even the possibility of coping in the long-term as something they simply would not want to live with. It is true that even natural remedies can produce side-effects, but hopefully these are relatively minor in a few patients and non-existent in the majority. Even so, the intention is to actually treat the condition so patients are only exposed to any product for a short period of time and treatment in the long-term is simply not required.

Nystatin is probably the one exception to the rule of side-effects when it comes to prescription medications. It is recognized as being one which produces few, if any, because of the way it works in the digestive tract and is not absorbed into the body. However even Nystatin has fewer side-effects rather than none, and although it is preferable to many of the drugs ending in ‘-zole’ I would still not recommend it for long-term usage despite the fact it usually provides more positive results than many other conventional Candida drugs on the market today.

Another advantage that natural remedies have over not only antibiotics but also your body’s own immune system, is that biofilms which I mentioned earlier, don’t build up a resistance to them. Antibiotics in particular are noted for killing only a few of the pathogenic colonists leaving the remainder to grow stronger and reinforce their numbers. When using drugs in general it is always best to remember that the microflora community will recognize foreign bodies and potential attackers and do what they can to survive. With natural products this makes their job a whole lot harder!

Remember the objective here is to rid your body of excess Candida, it is not to control one or even many external symptoms!

My Candida Crusher Program

Candida Crusher is called that because it is exactly what I wanted to achieve – I wanted to Crush Candida and give my patients back their health and subsequently their quality of life. Although the book is extensively detailed when it comes to treating Candida it can be broken down into 6 Phases. Here I give an outline of those phases and the steps necessary to clear your system of Candida overgrowth – for ever!

Phase 1 – Starve the Yeasts

The first thing you need to understand is that Candida is greedy for certain foods. Like all yeasts it will thrive and bloom on particular foods and, at least initially, you will need to deprive the fungi of its food sources. In this section I explain not only why you need to deprive Candida but also talk in detail about nutrition. In fact I explain it in so much detail that this section of Candida Crusher is larger than many books about Candida are in total – and certainly more than most e-books you will find on the internet today. I move through several stages explaining why we need the foods we do, what actions they perform in the body, and how Candida can take advantage of our ‘weakness’ for certain foods. In some cases, like sugar, Candida can even make us want to eat more.

In this section I also discuss the 4 necessary eating habits or patterns and give some interesting insight into the most common nutritional myths. I also look at why gluten is a problem and provide some alternative solutions, investigate the best fermented foods, and there is even a section on, believe it or not, ocean vegetables. If you are looking for insight into how to nutritionally target your Candida overgrowth then this article will provide you with the most extensive knowledge available.

Step 1 – The Candida Crusher Induction

Here I introduce readers to the MEVY (Meat, Eggs, Vegetables, Yogurt) program. The basic principles of this induction stage are to lead you gently into the remainder of the program. We will discuss why it is important to cut back on red meat and which vegetables are good, and those which are not so good. This is a slow and steady intro which supports a gradual change in dietary habits which will not result in any die-off reactions. What we are essentially introducing in this first step are the more healthy foods. Ones which will heal your body rather than harm it.

Step 2 – Introducing Low Allergy Foods

To support the principle of a gentle process of eliminating certain foods rather than just leaping in and possibly causing more damage and suffering – try and think of it as the Tortoise and the Hare – sure and steady wins the day – because here we start to eliminate foods which are resulting in the more severe sensitivities or reactions. People who definitely haven’t reached the stage of responding negatively to certain foods may, possibly, be able to bypass this stage, but most people by the time they come to realize they have Candida overgrowth, have developed sensitivities to one or more food types.

This is because Candida in itself actually causes leaky gut syndrome (LGS) and, when this develops, then the body is already responding negatively to certain foods which negotiate the larger seals in the intestinal wall. This stage is essential to negotiate if you need to and it is the key to moving on to the next step in the program. Although a small number of people can skip this stage, most people can’t. Often patients remain at this point for between 3-12 months. It takes commitment and patience to negotiate but remember if you cheat at this stage (or any other) the only person you are fooling is yourself!

Step 3 – Gentle Re-Introduction

This step in the Candida Crusher program needs gentle negotiation. It is where you will not only learn an awful lot about nutrition in general but also a lot about what affects you positively and negatively. As the title suggests we now slowly and steadily start to re-introduce foods back into your diet and carefully note the responses. This is particularly relevant to your favorite foods because, usually, they are the ones which you were more sensitive to when your problem first arose.

The way that these foods are re-introduced is one at a time. At each introduction you are required to carefully note your responses. Some foods your may no longer find appealing which may come as quite a surprise, but your body has changed its requirements – you are no longer feeding sugar to Candida for example – and it wants food which helps it function optimally.
Although this step in the program, combined with the two earlier steps, may seem to go on for a long time, remember that you will not be on this diet for ever like some programs recommend. Living endlessly on a restricted diet is no fun for anyone and it is less fun when it doesn’t really resolve your health issues totally either.

Phase 2 – Candida Die-Off

Even when die-off does not occur it is always best to remember that sometimes you will feel a little worse rather than a little better when you embark on the Candida Crusher Program. This is because changes are occurring internally which your body is trying to deal with. Luckily these changes are only of a temporary duration and within a day or two you will begin to feel much better again.

A more severe reaction can occur with Candida die-off. This is the Herxheimer reaction which I spoke about earlier. Die-off is pretty distinctive because it usually results in symptoms within hours of making changes and these are really representative of severe flu. Headaches, fatigue, aching joints are the norm. However Candida die-off reaction is rare with the Candida Crusher program simply because the stages and steps you follow are done gently and gradually. There is no aggressive approach or treatment which will initiate such a dramatic response by the body. However you are likely to have a few low times when the detoxification system of the body is clearing away the toxins produced when the overgrowth of Candida begins the die and these changes are to be expected. Don’t give up on the program simply because you experience some die-off – it is essential to continue with the program to ensure you return to optimal health.

Natural options are available which can help you and your body cope with Candida die-off and these include:

Caprylic Acid – if you find it difficult to obtain caprylic acid in supplement form – although there are many available on the market – a good alternative is coconut milk and coconut oil. These contain natural caprylic acid and are certainly good supplements to include in your diet.

Colloidal Silver – has scientific backing to show that it does indeed kill Candida. In particular it was shown to inhibit not one, but three strains of Candida albicans. A good supplement to include in your herbal medicine box.

Digestive Enzymes – As I mentioned earlier most people with Candida are deplete in the enzymes necessary to break down foods into their component parts. Buying good quality enzymes is essential. These are now available in many different forms but when you purchase try and buy products which are free from preservatives, additives and flow agents. The less your body has to deal with, the better!

Garlic – Fresh, raw garlic is renown for its many positive health benefits. However where it is particularly beneficial to Candida sufferers is its ability to break down the biofilms which house and protect the yeasts causing the problems. This allows other natural supplements to seek out and destroy the Candida overgrowth without prompting a reinforcement action by the microflora community.

Pau d’Arco Tea – this herbal tea has long been known in folk medicine for its restorative properties when it comes to digestive ailments. When looking to buy this particular product try and seek out the best your can afford as there are many lower quality products on the market.

Probiotics – it has now been proven, and spectacularly in autistic children, that people with leaky gut, dysbosis and overgrowth are lacking in beneficial microflora. A good quality probiotic taken every day will help support your microflora to overwhelm the dominant Candida.

CanXida Remove – after a long time researching I eventually developed this product which I found suited the needs of all my patients. The research and development that went into CanXida Remove followed 25 long, hard years of establishing just what sufferers needed not only to kill Candida overgrowth but to treat causes, restore intestinal integrity and strengthen the immune system. To date I have not found anything which works better and it is certainly more preferable for sufferers to find all they need in one product rather than spend their time (and money) taking a multitude of supplements every day.

CanXida Remove also has a ‘sustained release’ formula. This means it spends longer in the digestive tract before it is absorbed which gives it more time to work!

Phase 3 – Say, ‘No’ to Drugs

Broad spectrum antibiotics are now renown for causing all many of dysbiosis and that of Candida in particular. Avoid them wherever possible. Other drug culprits include: Cortisone, Inhaled Steroids, Birth control pills, hydrocortisone creams and even many hormone replacement therapies.

Although many meats, particularly pork and chicken, are fed antibiotics as preventative measures against illness, don’t forget that many dairy cattle are fed them too! Often this is not as a preventative measure against disease but antibiotics are used as growth promoters. Many people buying milk from their local supermarket tend to forget this aspect of indirect antibiotic intake so where you can, go organic and if you’re not certain – ask the producer.

I cannot stress strongly enough the importance of rest when it comes to restoring your quality of health. And, by ‘rest’ I not only mean taking time out to relax so your enteric (Intestinal) nervous system has time to recover, but to ‘rest’ your immune system too!

Because those of you with leaky gut syndrome have been inadvertently putting your immune system under constant pressure due not only to it having to respond to foreign particle invaders escaping through the intestinal wall but also the toxins emitted by the Candida, it has little time and energy left to help restore your health and get you back to normality.

Avoid all foods that you react adversely to. Usually these include foods containing yeast, soft cheese, alcohol, eggs, soy, chocolate,peanuts, dried fruits and sweet fruits including grapes. Bananas usually come into this category, but they also are now thought to stimulate the production of bifidobacterium, a beneficial bacteria, so some people may not respond as adversely as others. Watch complete list of foods to eat and foods to avoid video to learn more.

Remember that cheating the program only means your are cheating yourself and, in this case, your over-worked immune system which only wants to help you heal!

Phase 5 – Allergens, Chemicals and Toxins

Today we are exposed to an unbelievable amount of chemicals and for the most part we rarely consider them. If we do it is usually in respect of industrial pollution rather than the products we come into contact with every day. For instance, take my earlier example of antibiotics in milk and dairy products. When it comes to antibiotics in foodstuffs, the majority of what you read will refer only to meat products – milk, the most commonly used animal product, rarely gets a mention.

Yet there are many other compounds we are exposed to where we rarely consider the toxic effects. Such chemicals, whether we consider them individually dangerous or not, have little or no research to establish what the cumulative and long-term effects really are. We simply don’t know how our bodies are responding to things like fluoride in water, but we do now understand that the mercury in the old amalgam (metal) fillings, leech methyl mercury in to the body. Even without Candida being fed by certain toxins, our immune and detoxification systems in the body have to try and deal with this chemical overload and are stretched to capacity. The main victims of this issue are the liver and kidneys and I go into detail in another article explaining what certain chemicals do and how to avoid them.

Phase 6 – Lifestyle Changes and a Future Without Candida

Once you begin to see the benefits of my Candida Crusher Program many changes will come naturally to you. Your body will automatically respond to the positive things you are doing for it and naturally you will crave less sweet foods, become more energetic, less anxious and have a positive outlook. But still there are changes you would benefit from making and you not only have to learn to make these changes but also why they work.

I teach here about the importance of relaxation. How it is essential to escape from stress and allow not only your brain and external body to relax but also your internal organs and digestive system. We look at various methods of achieving this such as meditation, yoga, and other techniques which you can do at home.

We also take a look at the Pareto Principle of 80/20 and examine how it can impact your life and health and how you can make suitable adjustments.

All these steps go toward living a life free of Candida overgrowth and the distress and misery it brings along with it.

Today life is tough – we may not be forced to grub for food or pump our water from a well anymore, but our bodies are having to face issues which have never before confronted the human body and mind. To benefit we have to learn and take responsibility for our own health and future – and that of our children.

Note: Updated August 14 2016 with new information and links.

About Eric Bakker N.D.

Eric Bakker ND has completed almost ten years of study and has almost almost 25 years of clinical experience in natural and integrative forms of medicine, and has pursued continuous post-graduate study in Australia, America, India as well as in New Zealand.

Eric is the past Vice President of the NZ Natural Medicine Association and is currently on their editorial advisory board.

Thank you so much for your life work and the book! After 6 years of ligament laxity, many prolotherapy and prp treatments and continued instability I saw a Naturopath. I had food testing etc and found out I have severe candida and very little other food sensitivity. In may I also had a severe gallbladder attack and had it removed before I realized there were options. The mevy diet while not what I anticipated seems to make the most sense and your explanation is incredibly helpful! Thank you again. This diagnosis gives me a target audience for my upcoming health coaching practice. Happy Tuesday!
P.S. also significantly helpful is the long slow vs. KILL as most of my die off symptoms are mental!

Hi Ann,
Thanks for your kind comments. Candida Crusher was born after seeing an incredible amount of patients who have come to see me with yeast infections ranging from mild to the severe and debilitating, unlike several Candida books currently available as e-books, which just contain fancy diets. I wrote an additional chapter for clinicians, doctors, etc; which was split from the book, but will be released in due course. It will be perfect for a health coach! Stay tuned.

I was recently diagnosed with Candida; however I’ve had these symptoms for over 10 years with the exception of recently were it became worse. I see a lot on Google about what you can and can’t eat and I’m confused, more so because my doctor has not given me any options other than medications, but I already sufree from Autoimmune disorder, so medication for me is not an option. I was told bananas, apples, brown rice, bacon, Eggs were good to eat, but here you say no… please advise

I’m a 26 year old single mother living in NYC. I myself have been deal with candida for 4 years now. Along the way I’ve also developed chronic BV, 2 bartholin cysts, a polyp and some growth which I will be having removed in 2 weeks. My question is are all of these connected in some way to Candida? I noticed all these cysts and growths only started showing up once i started treating my BV and Candida with western medicine. Can I still reverse this? I’m horribly afraid.

I had very similar symptoms to yours about 2 years ago, in addition to developing gluten and lactose intolerance, and it took me nearly a year (and a lot of frustration) to realize it was all due to a parasitic infection by D.fragilis. The good news is that I consulted a naturopath doctor who diagnosed me very quickly (using mainly a 3 day stool testing as this parasite is hard to spot). In 3 weeks I wax rid of the parasite and many of the symptoms and I have since been healing my guts and feeling much better.
It’s clear your body is trying to tell you that something is wrong (even if doctors can’t figure it out nor the links between the symptoms). Trust your own instincts and best of luck,
Valerie

Heavy periods are usually due to hormone imbalance. I used to have extremely heavy periods, and I was hospitalized twice for passing out because I was losing so much blood.
Stopping your birth control is the first step to regulating your hormones. As well as avoiding refined sugar and processed foods.

Hello Doctor, I am from India and very keen to take your consultation (maybe over email or phone as I am on the other side of the world). Pls suggest how to go about it. I have been suffering from psoriasis of palms and back of my scalp for 8-10 years. Tx,

hello doctor i am from india…i have been suffering from Candida fungal infection with past 1 and half years…i have taken various methods to get rid of it but this isn’t that possible…i read your program you’ve mentioned out here and i came to knoe that sugar is the main causing ptoblem…your method will definetly recover my illeness…cause i
have been really crazy about chocolates…

Hello Dr Eric
I am reading your Candida crusher book and came across adrenal exhaustion chapter, which I think I suffer from. Do you recommend to get Dr Wilsons adrenal supplement right the way ?
Thank you
Blanka

It seems that me and my husband might be suffering from Candida Overgrowth… we have A LOT of different symptoms (I have numbness in my arms almost every morning… we have random joint pain, muscle pain, brain fog, etc.)…

But one thing I don’t understand… is it possible that we feel worse every time we have an intercourse? – If we don’t have sex for a period of time and just cure ourselves with diet etc, we seem to be feeling better.. and as soon as we have an intercourse: headaches, strong brain fog, numbness, depression… almost immediately after the intercourse…. (we are kinda desperate and worried about this issue).

According to you, could having sex trigger something and make the Candida Overgrowth worse… or would we have something totally different, like some other type of bacteria (fungi or parasite?).

I am 26 years, i was not born with candida but grew up with it may be due to carelesness and i have been treating it for more than 10 years recently i went for test the doctor told me that i have hormonal imbalance, my womb shifted and my fallopian tube is blocked and am not ovulating. Doctor eric pls after treatment will every thing normalize? Thank u.

I would like to know if natural áloe vera recently cut form the plant ia good or bad for cándida. When I started eating áloe vera I started with small amounts eaten with each food. Then I started eating 100 grams of áloe vera during the day in the morning without any food and a little slice with each food. Well I noticed that my stools were yellow or even white but I eat brown Rice 3 times a day. I think áloe vera was not helping. I really don’t know. How could it be harmfull with so many nutrientes minerales and vitamina amd a lot of enzymes. A lot of calcium germanium and magmesium?

Hi Eric! 🙂
I’m 21 years old male from Finland. I had been leading stressful lifestyle for a few years. This year my health got worse gradually, and I tried to figure out what’s wrong with me but doctors didn’t find anything. Some three weeks ago I found your awesome YouTube channel, and I made some radical changes and after a few days started feeling better! I’m really thankful to you! I also ordered your complete range of CanXida supplements that are yet to receive.

My question is about Saccharomyces boulardii. I’ve been now two weeks into a strict MEVY-diet and taking grapefruit seed extract, garlic, coconut oil, berberine, ginger, lemon, sauerkraut, cayennepepper and Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria. Few days ago I started taking SB and my acne worsened and I felt like crap. But I may have a theory on this and I’d like to hear if you agree it.

I assume that natural anti-fungals kill also SB and that my guts are leaky from Candida. So am I feeling bad because of SB dying and releasing toxins and entering to bloodstream?

Do you have the contact details of a Doctor in Johanessburg South African who can assist me while I go through this process? Someone who has realised the real issue behind the symptoms of the candida as you have?

I am finding that Oregano Oil capsules work within the hour to help to clear out the lower bowel and defeat the feeling of incomplete evacuation. Oregano Oil and Cats Claw together (although Olive Leaf sometimes gives me a headache). Whenever I am bloated or gassy and experiencing the above. Would you recommend a daily use of Oregano Oil? I was using probiotics but found that it was making things worse by adding good bacteria without killing the bad although initially they were helpful. Advice?

Hey just a short question; if candida goes on a hunt for food at night and uses the stored sugar in the liver how am i going to get rid of it? Taking antifungals at nighttime? It seems to me that regardless of what i eat and what i do the candida will thrive if that is true.

If you have sibo, and candida, autoimmune conditions, histamine and leaky gut, what should you start treating first? I noticed that even with the AIP diet, candida diet and low histamine diet, candida is still getting worse.

I want a private consultation with Eric and my card is not going through. I called my bank and it isn’t on their end. I cannot find an email address to contact you guys so I am resorting this. Please contact me through email.

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